I would like to introduce myself to you

I would like to introduce myself to you. I have run Tender Times Child Care since 1999. I previously managed a fast food restaurant. I became County Certified February 4, 2001 and kept this certification until I became licensed on March 1, 2004, which allows me to care for up to 8 children plus my two daughters. I joined Wisconsin Early Childhood Association on April 16, 2001. I am also a member of the National Association of Education for Young Children. I have taken a few workshops on the topic of AD/HD, attended workshops on Mega Make it and Take it and A Time to Shine. I am CPR and First Aid Certified. I have also taken courses, which are shown later in the handbook. In 2003 I was a recipient of the Child Development Award Credential. I earned my Infant and Toddler Credential in 2006. I earned my Administrators Professional Credential in 2007.

I provide a pre-school curriculum to children September-June. We spend our days reading, playing, and doing art projects. I like to see parents involved in their children’s care therefore I do offer an open door policy.

I provide learning based on your child’s needs but the most important thing to the child and me would be love and nurturing that they will receive. Your child will be participating in a loving, appropriate touching environment. Children are encouraged to give hugs and encouragement to all the others at Tender Times Child Care.

I have two children of my own, two girls ages 11 and 13. They are active in extra curricular activities. I have volunteered as a soccer coach and am currently a leader for the Amery Service Unit of Girl Scouts. I am also a coach for one of the Destination Imagination teams in Amery. I am an educational consultant for Discovery Toys and design my own web pages in my spare time.

If you have any questions I do not address, please don’t hesitate to ask. There are no “dumb” questions; if I am unaware of any problems there is no way to fix them.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. I hope your family and I can have a very prosperous relationship.

Teresa

Thank you for considering Tender Times Child Care for your child care needs. When looking for child care, there are many factors to consider. One of the most important is to check out the background of the provider you are considering. To help make this process a little bit easier, I have included below some names and phone numbers of past and present parents to call. I encourage you to call several for references.

Parents Name	Past / Current	Phone Number	Years in Care
Alling, Michael & Jeannie	Past	268-6280	3
Boe, Mary Parish, Shannon	Current	715-222-1196	>1
Eder, Tom & Kim	Past	268-5895	5
Flanum, Ed & Sarah	Current	268-4223	4
Newton, Andrea	Past	268-7989	4+
Harmon, Vicki	WITC Instructor	715-246-3855	4
Mondor, Tera & Brian	Current	715-268-4834	1+
Anderson, Owen	Current	715-268-8361	1+

Kindergarten Readiness Goals and Milestones

The list below was given to me at my training on January 26, 2002. I felt that it would be helpful for parents to know what to work towards and what we will be trying to accomplish for your child at Tender Times Child Care.

Life Skills

Ability to use bathroom independently. This includes flushing and washing habits.

Ability to fasten and unfasten clothing. (I.e. zippers, belts, buttons)

Ability to open and close backpacks

Exposure and practice with opening milk cartons

Exposure and practice with opening Ziplocs containers and other items that may be in their lunch

Ability to use tissue independently

Exposure and practice with turning clothes right side out.

Ability to pronounce their first and last name. It is also important that they know their parents name...the one other than MOM and DAD

Understanding how to care for a book and return it to a shelf or cart right side up and spine out.

Understanding the difference between an inside voice and outside voice

Emotional Milestones and Social Skills

Ability to practice taking turns

Ability to separate from parents or care giver easily

Ability to sit and complete a task. About 15 minute goal to aim for

Ability and interest in sitting and listening to a story

Ability to function in a group...that is able to understand that they will need to take turns, wait for their materials or snack and not always be first

Ability to understand accountability for clean up times

Ability to understand the need for coats, bags and shoes to be stored in a special place and understanding of personal responsibility for their belongings

Ability to learn to adapt to change and ability to adapt to rules

Academic Skills

PROPER PENCIL GRIP is very important

Ability to print first name

Don’t encourage poor letter formation

Ability to use scissors

It is not necessary to print on lined paper, in fact it is not recommended

Recognition of common shapes and colors is helpful

Have fun counting aloud, but don’t try to teach the children to print numbers

Experience with and ability to use glue stick and liquid glue

Lots and lots of art projects

Lots of experience of fine motor skills

Play with language

I hope these were helpful to you as parents. I know that I am happy to have received them. They will be useful for me in the day care and helping these children get ready for kindergarten.

Any questions just ask

My goals and Philosophy of child care

GOALS

It is the goal of Tender Times Child Care to promote:

Self esteem, self control, self-identity, individualization and independence

We will do this through letting the children experience on their own the world around them in a safe environment. We will provide guidance and support in all that they do. Learning happens through play, trial and error.

Philosophy

I believe that infants and toddlers need care that is as individualized as they are. This kind of care includes communication at their level, structured activities around their learning abilities and provides individual time each day. Infant and toddler caregivers should get down to the child’s level to communicate. Caregivers should schedule activities that will promote the program goals. Caregivers should provide themselves time to spend one on one time with each child.

The environment should be safe and cheerful. Caregivers need to balance quiet and active time. They also need to make sure there is proper space and equipment for the children. As an infant and toddler caregiver, I will do my best to provide a safe, loving environment individualized to fit the needs of the child.

Infants and toddlers deserve to search their world freely and safely, with the love and support from their caregiver. My goals for infants and toddlers are for them to experience their surroundings at their own pace. I will provide them with the opportunities to experience safely.

The role of the family in infant and toddler program is to support activities and learning at their child's pace. To promote individualization, self esteem, self-control, and independence.

I include a diverse, anti bias or multi cultural approach with infants and toddlers by showing them the differences in the world in many different ways. I have books, finger plays, dolls, tapes, instruments, posters and many other items to give them a variety of culture.

I believe children are happy if they are able to experience their world with little help form others. They enjoy creating, imagining and playing many different things through out the day.

I feel good about the care I provide to the infants and toddlers in my program when they are happy and develop a sense of self-identity, individualization, self-esteem, self-control and independence. I enjoy watching them experience something for the first time.

My background in child care

Two children of my own

Child CPR certified

Child Development Associate Credential, specializing in family day care

Infant and Toddler Credential

Operated Tender Times Since 1999

Certified since 2001

Licensed 2004

Training in Child Care

1999 Serv Safe Foods National Restaurant Association

2001 In Home Provider WITC

2001 Continuing Nutrition Education WECA

2001 Mega Make it and Take it Project Child Care and WITC

2002 CPR First Aid Training American Red Cross

2002 A Time to Shine Project Child Care and WITC

2002 Art of Child Care CARE Courses

2002 Discipline in Child Care CARE Courses

2002 Parents in Child Care CARE Courses

2002 SIDS Training WITC and DHS

2002 Infant / Toddler WITC

2002 Early Childhood I WITC

2002 Cut Color and Copy WITC

2002 Mega Make it and Take it Project Child Care and WITC

2002 New Ideas Osceola Medical Center

2002 Continuing Nutrition Education WECA

2003 Infant / Toddler Credential Course 3 WITC

2003 Early Childhood II WITC

2003 Administrators Credential Course 4/5 WITC

2003 Midwinter Blues WITC

2003 Health Safety and Nutrition WITC

2003 Policies and Procedures WITC

2003 Provider Update Die Cut Math

2003 Adult/Child CPR American Red Cross

2003 Child Growth and Development

2003 Curriculum I

2004 Practicum II

2004 Seminar II

2004 Curriculum II

2004 Child Growth and Development II

2004 Infant Toddler Development

2004 Written Communication

2004 Business Math A / B / C

2004 Children with Differing Abilities

2004 Practicum III

2004 Seminar III

2004 Intorduction to Sociology

2005 Psychology of Human Resources

2005 Seminar IV

2005 Practicum IV

2005 Infant and Toddler Credential Capstone

2005 Administration

2005 Oral Interpersonal Communication

2005 Economics

2006 WECA Nutrition Training

2007 Administrative Credential Course 1

2007 Administrative Credential Course 2

2007 Child Care Provider Update: Story Hour

2007 Child Care Provider Update: Games for Pre Schoolers

2007 Child Care Provider Update: Kit n Caboodle

2007 Child Care Provider Update: Home Advantage

2007 Child Care Provider Update: Math

2007 Child Abuse and Neglect

2007 Child Care Shaken Baby Syndrome

2007 Administrative Credential Course 3

2007 Administrators Credential Capstone

The purpose of this center is to provide a nurturing, stimulating and safe environment for children and to encourage the child’s intellectual, physical, social and emotional development during those hours when parent’s are at work, in school or otherwise engaged.

The following is a list of rules, regulations and expectations both of the parent and the provider. Please read this policy thoroughly as it contains many important polices and procedures that pertain to the care of your child. If you have any questions or need clarification please ask.

ENROLLMENT PROCEDURES

Tender Times Child Care accepts children 6 weeks through Pre K without discrimination on the basis of sex, religion, race or handicap. Children with handicaps are admitted if they may be served with reasonable accommodations. I am occasionally available for non-school days to care for other siblings up to age 12, arrangements must be made in advance.

All children will be enrolled on a trial basis for a two-week period.

In order to enroll:

1. The parent shall meet with the provider to discuss the program, family and needs of child

2. Enrollment forms, health history and signed parental permissions must be completed before the first day of attendance.

(Contract, CFS-2345 Enrollment & Health Form, CFS – 62
Enrollment Form, CFS- 60 Health Form, DPH-4192 Immunization Record, CFS-61 Under Two Intake-for children under 24 months, CFS – 104 School Age Agreement – for children in school)

3. The contract must be signed.

Children may be enrolled on the following basis:

Full time 5.75 hours or more per day

Part time 1-5.5 Hours per day

Each day is figured individually to receive a final weekly total. The contract is then set as a weekly rate and that amount is due each week regardless of the weekly usage.

Hourly Considered drop in care and is not guaranteed

No child may be regularly enrolled for less than two days a week

Child care is available Monday - Friday, from 6:00am - 5:00 pm. Please remember that your fee is based on the hours you contract for, not the hours that I am open.

If you drop off your child before or pick up after your contracted hours an overtime rate will be charged. The overtime rate for no notification is $15.00 per hour per child. Prearranged overtime is $3.75 an hour per child over two and $4.75 per child under 2. This will be rounded to the nearest hour, if you are 15 minutes late, you still pay the hour rate.. Late drop off

does not constitute late pick up. If your schedule changes please make sure that we redo your contracted hours. Please be aware that we need to discuss openings before you assume that you have the day care needed. If you request child care, such as a drop in or non school day, you are required to pay for that day regardless of child’s actual attendance for that day. Once a day is schedule it is considered taken and payment is required. Payment is required regardless of attendance.

WHETHER YOUR CHILD attends OR NOT INCLUDES, BUT NOT LIMITED TO:

Lay off, hospitalization, illness, injury or any other reason your child can not attend.

I will be taking a week (5 days) paid vacation. You will receive written notification of the exact dates. I also allow four paid training days and three personal/sick days. I will be allowed up to one week (5 days) of paid grievance in the event of an immediate family members death (i.e. parent, spouse, sibling, child) I will be allowed up to two days of paid grievance in the event of family members death (i.e. aunt, uncle, cousin).

The following is a list of paid holidays:

Memorial Day

July 4

Labor Day

Thanksgiving Day

Christmas Eve (after 1 pm)

Christmas Day

New Year’s Day

If the holiday falls on a Saturday I will be taking the Friday before off. If it falls on a Sunday I will be taking the Monday after off.

PARENT’S

Full time families receive one week (part time 3 days) of vacation time to use at any time other than during my scheduled vacation, holidays or personal days. Full time families will also receive three (part time 1 day) sick/personal days at half the cost of regular care. Parents need to provide a written notice two weeks in advance for vacation. They also need to specify if they would like to use a sick/personal day. Full time Families are allowed up to one week of paid grievance in the event of an immediate family member’s death (i.e. parent, spouse, sibling, and Child). Full time Families are allowed up to two days of paid grievance in the event of family member’s death (i.e. aunt, uncle, cousin).

TERMINATION

A child may be discharged from the center for reasons such as, but not limited to:

Failure to pay fees in a timely manner

Lack of cooperation on the parent’s part

Failure of the child to adjust to the center. Should a child have problems, the provider will advise and consult with the parents concerning how the problem could be resolved. The parents will also be advised of other community resources. I would appreciate the help and support of the family with any concerns

Repeated failure to pick up your child in a timely manner

The need of additional staff for a special need

Provider

Two week written notification will be given to any family that has above issues. If it is a safety factor immediate termination will be given at the providers discretion

Parent

For a family to withdraw a two-week written notice will need to be given. This two weeks is paid regardless of attendance

Before your child is enrolled into “Tender Times Child Care”, an enrollment fee is due. This is $15.00 per child. This fee provides each child with a pencil case filled with glue, scissors, markers, pencils, and crayons. It also includes printing of forms, curriculum and supplies. Tender Times Child Care also requires an initial deposit equal to the first week of child care. This deposit will be applied to the last week of care.

FOR THE FAMILY

What you pay will buy quality child care, nutritious meals, and a nurturing environment for your child. Beyond that, your fees pay for special child care insurance, training, food, toys, equipment, art supplies, and all other things that your child will use.

FOR THE PROVIDER

Your fees must provide my income including taxes and social security. Like self-employed workers, family child care providers do not receive the benefits many employees take for granted. These include health insurance, life insurance, retirement/pension, workers’ compensation, and unemployment insurance. These benefits often amount to 35% of an employee’s wages. Unlike other self-employment child care is very restrictive. There is no room for growth. The State dictates the size of my business and I have to plan carefully for my appointments. To protect my rights and income, you will find that a guaranteed wage is part of my contract. To protect my precious time with my family you will find that late fees are part of my contract. I hope this gives you a better picture of the true cost of child care.

If parents have not notified the provider within 30 minutes of scheduled drop off time that their child (ren) will not be attending, the provider will contact the family. This is per WI Statue HFS 45.04(2) (e) 3. All families are required to notify Tender Times of absences.

PAYMENT IS DUE ON MONDAYS BY 5:00 PM, FOR WEEK SERVICES WILL BE RENDERED. IF PAYMENT IS NOT RECEIVED BY 5:01PM A LATE FEE OF $10.00 A DAY WILL BE ADDED TO AMOUNT DUE. Child care will be suspended until payment is made. A fee of $35.00 plus any bank cost will be added to all returned checks. Third returned check and Tender Times will only accept cash. Checks are to be written out to Tender Times Child Care. When fees are not current, children will not be allowed to attend unless other arrangements have been made with me. If payment has not been made by Friday of that week child care will be terminated. Collective actions will be made immediately at the client’s expense. In the event that this will happen the parent/guardian will be responsible for all fees, loss of wages and any court costs. If you qualify for Wisconsin Shares, your payments will still need to be made weekly. They will depend on the authorizations and payments of the county. Balance will need to stay current. Statements will be sent home each Friday to notify you of the cost. If for any reason the weekly total is different. It will be reflected on the following week’s statement.

Parents are required to find there own back up care. I do not provide substitute providers or back up care for longer than 1day for emergencies or appointments.

ILLNESS AND SICK CARE

Provider

MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMB,

SHE ALSO HAD THE FLU

AND WHEN SHE LEFT MY DAY CARE,

THE OTHERS HAD IT TOO.

SO ANYTIME YOUR CHILD IS SICK,

PLEASE KEEP HER HOME WITH YOU.

THEN THE CHILDREN IN MY CARE

WILL BE HAPPIER AND HEALTHIER TOO!

Author Unknown

I am required by the State to monitor the health and safety of all children in my care. This is done by:

Requiring doctor health checks every two years for children 2 and older, Every 6 months for children 0-2.

Immunizations kept on file and up to date

Check of child upon entering care and through out the day

Reporting suspected child abuse to county

Reporting the following to parents:

Temp of >99.9

Diarrhea

Vomiting

Contagious Disease

Suspected Strep

Children have to be free from all of the above for 24 hours or note from physician before returning to care

I must report communicable diseases to the County.

PARENT

Complete doctor health check for child on time

Keep immunizations up to date

Reporting the following to Provider Temp of > 99.9, Diarrhea, Vomiting, Contagious Disease, Suspected Strep,

Pick up child within hour if provider calls with any of the above, Keep child home if unable to join in center activities, contagious disease, Infections Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye), Impetigo, Hepatitis A, Scarlet Fever, Scabies, Lice, Ringworm, Strep Throat

Sick children will be isolated within sight or sound of me until they can be removed for the center by the parent or authorized person. This should occur within one hour of contact.

Procedures on personal cleanliness and communicable disease will follow licensing rules. I will report any Communicable disease to the parents of all enrolled children and the county health department. Children will be sent home with a note specifying why. I require a doctor’s note as to diagnoses. I will require a note for return. I will follow public health and doctor guidelines for communicable diseases.

In case of emergency, necessary first aid will be administered. I am certified through the American Red Cross to administer first aid and CPR. The Amery Paramedic Unit will be called and your child will be transported in an ambulance to Amery Regional Medical Center if necessary. YOU WILL BE NOTIFIED IMMEDIATELY. IF THERE IS A NEED FOR YOUR CHILD TO BE TRANSPORTED, THE COST WILL BE THE PARENTS RESPONSIBILITY.

If your child is on medication and it must be administered at day care, the medicine must be in the original container and labeled with the child’s name, doctor, name of medication, dosage and when it is to be administered. I will also have a form for you to sign giving me legal permission to administer the medication. All medication given at day care will be documented in a medical log book.

BACK TO SLEEP

State mandated program for all child care providers

Unless a physician note specifies otherwise, healthy infants will be placed on their back to sleep.

Infants fewer than 12 months of age shall be placed on their backs on a firm tight fighting mattress for sleep in a crib (playpen)

Waterbeds, sofas, soft mattresses, pillows, and all other soft products shall be removed from the crib

Infant will be placed at bottom of crib and the blanket will only go to chest.

The infant’s head shall remain uncovered during sleep

When infants can turn over from supine to the prone position, they shall be put down to sleep on their backs but allowed to adopt whatever position they prefer for sleep.

Unless a doctor specifies the need for a positioning device that restricts movement within the child’s crib, such devices shall not be used.

(Caring for Children, Standard FA 190A)

In compliance with licensing statues I have completed the Shaken Baby Syndrome Course through WITC and Wisconsin Dairyland Resource and Referral.

Please extinguish all smoking materials before entering fenced in area

Please keep gate locked at all times.

Meals and snacks are served daily. Breakfast is served at 8 am. Lunch is served at 11 am and afternoon snack is served at 2 pm for pre school aged children, school age will receive their snack at 3:30 pm.

Special treats are provided by the day care provider on birthdays and special holidays. Parents are only allowed to bring treats as long as it is okay with the day care provider. These snacks need to pass the WECA food program regulations.

Any allergies children may have need to be noted. Special arrangements will be made between the provider and family in these situations.

I provide meals that follow USDA guidelines and am on the Wisconsin Early Childhood Association food program. Record of meals and snack are always available for review. Infants are registered on the WECA food program through my day care. Being a participant of the WECA food program I supply all of the baby food that your child would need. We start infants out on stage one at 4 months of age (with appropriate signs from infant) we continue through the stages of baby food until your child reaches the ability to eat table food with the other children. We start biting biscuits around 6-8 months of age depending on child’s ability. I will start juice around 9 months, this will only be given in a sipper cup, and I am not allowed to supply juice in a bottle with out a doctor’s instruction. I offer Enfamil formula. If you prefer not to choose this formula you will have to supply your own.

Please supply me with three bottles that you will leave here on the first day of care.

Below is a general schedule of our day. These are followed as close as possible, some days are a little different but this will give you an idea of what your child will be doing.

8 am Breakfast

8:30-11 am Individual Play, Song, Creative Art, Creative Movement

11 am Lunch

12 pm Story Time

12:30pm Nap/rest

2:30 pm Snack

3 pm Outside

3:30 pm School age snack

5pm Last Pick Up

INFANT PROGRAM

When enrolling your infant (child 1 and under) into Tender Times Child Care you can be assured of high quality care. I have taken a course on Infant and Toddler care and I have completed my Infant and Toddler Credential. I also have been trained for SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) and Shaken Baby Syndrome. Your infant will be able to explore the many different developmental stages of his or her life with encouragement and love. They will not follow the same schedule as the preschool age child as they are unable to adapt to this at such an early age. Your infant will be responded to with nurturing, safety, and guidance in mind. Although some times it will be hard for me, I will be responding to your infant’s needs as soon as I can to give them a safe and secure environment.

I do have a strict diaper changing policy, which includes hand washing and proper pads. Diapers are to be checked every 2 hours.

PRESCHOOL PROGRAM

I offer a program that is based on a pre school curriculum. This program is offered from September - June of the following year.

We do a lot of playtime with blocks, books and much more. Your child will be exposed to many learning areas including:

Art/Craft (both process and product)

Music/finger play

Story

Small/Large Muscle

Self initiated play

Numbers and counting

Social Development

Letter Recognition

Most of the day will be spent in “play” or a child’s work. Children learn a lot through play. They are imitating a lot of what they see and are able to work out many of life's difficulties without a lot of pressure put on it.

Use of television / video’s/ DVD’s does not happen here.

Children will be asked to take a nap/rest time during the day. This benefits the child and keeps them from being over stimulated and stressed. It also gives me the opportunity to finish paperwork, clean up and have a small break. Sleeping bags or a rest mat 2“or thicker is to be provided by the parent for this use. If children use special blankets or animals these are to be brought and left at the nap area. All items are required to go home weekly for a wash.

GUIDANCE

In accordance with “Wisconsin Rules for Licensing Family Child Care” time outs will be used as a means of removing a child in a dangerous situation and only when other techniques have not been successful. Time outs will be used to remove a child from a situation that has gotten out of control before a child could hurt himself or others. Time outs will never exceed 5 minutes and will not be used for children under three years of age. I will stay with the child and talk about what behavior was unacceptable and what else he/she might have done or said instead. Please help your child understand that they are responsible for their actions and help them understand the actions that are not appropriate.

The rules are very simple:

Everyone must have fun

Follow directions

Inside Voice

Use walking feet

Respect Others

Manners

Punishment that is humiliating or frightening to a child, such as hitting, spanking, verbal or sexual abuse, withholding or forcing food or punishment for lapses in toilet training, and other forms of physical punishment is prohibited. These forms of punishment will never be used, even at a parent’s request. Guidance is accomplished by setting clear cut limits on children’s’ behavior through talking about what kind of behaviors are not allowed at the center, modeling polite behavior, and by redirecting undesirable behaviors. Guidance will be for helping children to develop self-control; self-esteem and respect for others. No name-calling, hitting or yelling is allowed! Children are reminded of the rules, redirected and asked to problem solve. Most children 3 and older are able to understand what is happening and how to fix the problem. I will coach your child the first few times and eventually they will be able to solve their own problems.

General Information

Per licensing Statues, current licensing certificate and the results of the latest monitoring visit will be posted for parents viewing by the sign in sheet.

Parents will receive a pamphlet, which is a summary of Family Child Care Licensining Regulations, “You’re Guide to Licensed Child Care”. As part of an enrollment packet.

Parents may visit at any time unless restricted by law.

I have many pets in my home, most of which remain upstairs. The pets are current with their vaccinations. I also carry liability insurance for cats and dogs. The animals in my home include 2 cats, 3 dogs (an occasional foster dog), 2 Bearded Dragons and a pond of fish. I monitor children’s and animals interactions. If situations arise all animals are locked upstairs. The Bearded Dragons are never allowed in the child care center per licensing guidelines.

My child care is covered by commercial and premises insurance.

Children will only be released to authorized persons.

Parents/ guardians who appear to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs during pick up or drop off of their child will be reported to the Sheriff’s Department.

FIRE: We practice fire drills monthly. Children will learn to recognize signs of danger and how to respond to them. They will learn the plan of evacuation. I have several areas of departure. Main entrance, steps and window in quiet room are used. We will meet outside at the corner of the driveway. Amery Fire Department will be contacted and then parents will be called to pick up their child.

TORNADO: In the event of a tornado warning, children will be taken to the hallway in the back of the house. Appropriate measures will be taken to protect them from the extreme weather.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM: In case of a severe thunderstorm warning we will remain in the back of the house until weather is safe.